Volkswagen has confirmed that the Beetle convertible—which we originally believed would bow here at the New York auto show—will go on sale in the first couple of months of 2013. The car should make its auto-show debut at L.A. in November, and we expect to deliver the first photos within the next couple of months. Hint: It’s going to look like a Beetle with a cloth roof.

We’ve also learned that the roofless Beetle will offer the exact same powertrain lineup as the coupe. That means a 170-hp, 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine for the base car, as well as a forced-induction Turbo model with a 2.0-liter four good for 200 hp and 207 lb-ft. (Our instrumented test of the Turbo coupe can be found here, and the five-cylinder model here.)

While the decision to offer a diesel convertible might seem a little strange, it isn’t when you consider that TDIs are flying off VW lots: They account for 23 percent of the overall year-to-date mix. The TDI will have a 140-horse, 236-lb-ft 2.0-liter turbocharged four—and, yes, it will be available with a six-speed manual. (A six-speed dual-clutch automatic will be the self-shifter.) The Beetle TDI coupe goes on sale this summer.